Tsunami Survival Stories

Camman

Saw this in an article I was reading on MSNBC, had some stories of people who survived...and something else everybody around this site might be interested to read.

MSNBC wrote:

The Indonesian Red Cross in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, reportedly dug out a survivor from the ruins of a house where he had been buried since the tsunami struck. The rescuers heard Ichsan Azmil’s cries for help. After he was pulled out Friday, he asked for water and was taken to a hospital for treatment of cuts and bruises.

On India’s remote Andaman and Nicobar islands, a woman who fled the killer waves gave birth Monday in the forest that became her sanctuary. She named her son “Tsunami.”

Even art became part of the folklore of resilience.

In the historic port town of Galle, Sri Lanka, several Buddha statues of cement and plaster were found unscathed amid collapsed brick walls in the center of the devastated city.

To many residents, it was a divine sign.

“The people are not living according to religious virtues,” said Sumana, a Buddhist monk in an orange robe who sheltered himself from the sun under a black umbrella.

Brian

Wow.. How did I miss this? I suck at being a site admin.

"In the historic port town of Galle, Sri Lanka, several Buddha statues of cement and plaster were found unscathed amid collapsed brick walls in the center of the devastated city.

To many residents, it was a divine sign."

I don't get that part. I wonder what religion they practice on top of buddhism in Sri Lanka. As far as I know, they are mostly theravada practitioners. I can't figure out where the "divine" thing comes in, unless it came from either a poor translation or an ignorant reporter. I think maybe a bit of both.

Perhaps what the "many residents" meant was that kamma was being observed in action.

dexterl

Looks like he was taking the easy way out... Trying to state the message in terms that the Western culture would understand, without explaining anything about the culture of that area, what Buddhism is or what "kamma" means.

That's why I'm glad this site is here. Now we can ask questions and obtain information.

Even though Buddhism has been around longer than most other formal religions, it is talked about far less frequently in our part of the world. Having that lack of exposure is what appears to create so much confusion and ignorance about what the values, culture and lifestyle are of those that follow buddhism. I bet if you asked the majority of the population what they knew of buddhism, the only thing they would be able to associate with buddhism would be the meditation and chanting. Why is that the only exposure that we have of this?

Wouldn't it be great if people were at least expsoed to the main focus of what buddhism is??? If when someone asks "what is buddhism", that the first thing that comes to mind is the three merits or the Five Precepts???

Justin

Most people don't even realize that there is another way of thinking than their own. This is really sad but true, especially in America. I was not brought up very religeously yet I somehow managed to get judeau-Christian teachings rammed down my throat. Before I looked into it, I thought buddhism was the worship of Buddah. This is a common misconception but one that many have. Reliegon is the same no matter where you go, if you are talking about diety-specific worship. That is all the mass populace knows, either by choice or lack thereof...

dexterl

You are right, they are aware of what has been well known and present throughout our history and in our area of the world. It is a shame to think that so many people are looking to someone else or something else to create their happiness and to look to for values, instead of looking inside for happiness and the appropriate way to treat others as well as ourselves.

I am still looking and learning. It is very early for me in my learning. However, it appears that the answers are so simple and right there. That as a population we have tried to make things so much more complex than they need to be.

Justin

The answers are always there, awaiting the questions...